


Dramatic Irony

by Kholran



Series: Spin Me a Tale [8]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Asexual Character, Blind Character, Developing Relationship, M/M, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-16
Updated: 2015-02-16
Packaged: 2018-03-13 06:13:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3370841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kholran/pseuds/Kholran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Happy Valentine's Day</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dramatic Irony

**Author's Note:**

> Dramatic Irony: When the audience knows something the characters don't.

“Where are we going?” Five minutes ago, all three of Bard’s children had cornered him, told him to put on his coat, and herded him into a waiting cab like sheepdog around a wayward ram.

“It’s a surprise. We _told_ you,” Sigrid explained for the third time.

“A _surprise_ ,” Tilda mimicked, stressing the word.

“And you’re all in on it.” All three of them nodded. “And I’m not.” They nodded again. “It’s creepy when you do that. Alright, fine. Surprise me.” Relenting, Bard sat back and put his seat belt on, nodding to the driver to go wherever the kids had instructed him. 

~*~

Legolas had been walking to his locker with Tauriel on Friday afternoon when a girl he only sort of recognized stopped him, saying “We need to talk.” Exchanging confused looks, they both followed her into an open classroom.

“You probably have no idea who I am,” she started once they were alone, and Legolas shook his head. It was a large school, and there were people in his own class he didn’t see often enough to know by name, much less the classes below his. “My name’s Sigrid.”

That didn’t clear anything up. “It’s nice to meet you, but what’s this about?”

“It’s about your dad. And mine,” she said, and Legolas finally figured out who she was. He’d finally met Bard when Tauriel had been busy and he’d gone with his father to the park, and had seen him with his father a few times since. “They’ve been spending a lot of time together, and I think… I think my da likes yours. A lot. In a more than friends kind of way.”

“ _I told you_!” Tauriel hissed, lightly smacking him on the arm.

She had. At every opportunity. 

It was true, Thranduil had been spending more and more time in Bard’s company, and seemed happier for it. He was gone nearly all day on Saturdays, and they got together most Friday nights too, but Legolas had been hesitant to believe there was anything more than friendship. It wasn’t that he objected to his father showing interest in a man; given his own preferences, that would have been hypocritical. It was just that Legolas hadn’t seen him show interest in anyone since his mother had died. On the other hand, so much of what Thranduil talked about lately started with “Bard said…”.

“Anyway, Valentine’s Day is this weekend. And I want your help with something.”

~*~

Bard coughed awkwardly. The ‘surprise’ involved a table set for two, complete with candles and a chilled bottle of wine, in Thranduil’s back garden, and the sudden disappearance of everyone but them to Tauriel’s house down the street. It was an impressive effort, he’d give the kids that, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to meet Thranduil’s eye. “Sorry about all this. It seems like my children are under the impression there’s something going on between us.”

“They couldn’t have done it without my son’s help.” Thranduil’s fingers traced the stem of his wine glass. He looked just as uncomfortable as Bard felt, and there was a long pause before he spoke again. “Are they wrong?”

Bard wasn’t sure he heard correctly. “I’m sorry?”

“ _Is_ there something going on between us? I think it’s only fair that I know about it if there is. I’d hate to be the only one who doesn’t know.” It almost worked as a way to break the tension. Lessened it, maybe. A little.

He just didn’t know how to respond. Thranduil had been on his mind for weeks now, but it had always felt one-sided. There were times when it almost felt mutual, but then Bard had worried it was just his wishful thinking seeing things that weren’t there. And if he was misinterpreting the signs, and said something about it, there was a chance he could ruin the closest friendship he’d made in years.

Bard had to say something. Thranduil couldn’t interpret silence. “I’d be sure to tell you. If there was.” He mentally kicked himself for not being upfront about it.

“Oh. Well, good.” Was that actual disappointment, or was he projecting again?

The silence returned as they both picked at the food on their plates. The meal didn’t have to go to waste just because their children had been just as confused as Bard.

“It’s just that…” Thranduil continued, poking at his pasta with his fork and focusing his gaze somewhere past Bard’s left shoulder, “if there was. Something going on. Something I should know about. There’ a chance I might miss it. I’d have to rely on you to tell me, so it didn’t go flying right over my head.”

Bard was pretty sure he wasn’t projecting. He couldn’t say what made him do it. Maybe it was the wine, or the fact that it was Valentine’s Day, or the way the amber light on the terrace made Thranduil look even more ethereally beautiful than usual, or a combination of the three. Bard surged across the table and kissed him.

And got nothing in response. He immediately pulled away, apologizing profusely for completely misinterpreting the situation, until Thranduil’s hand caught his wrist in much the same way as on their first meeting.

“Don’t apologize. I just…” he let out a huff of air that might have been a laugh, “I didn’t see it coming.”

Bard grinned and leaned in again, softer this time, and this time, Thranduil kissed him back.

There were no fireworks or angelic choruses or anything quite so extraordinary, and it only lasted a few moments, but it was a good kiss, if Bard was allowed such an opinion.

“Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way,” Thranduil said once they’d broken apart, “I think maybe a romantic dinner outside in February is better in theory than in practice. I’m freezing. What would you say to moving this inside, and maybe staying for coffee afterwards.”

"I’d say ‘Thank God, it’s really cold out here’, and then accept the offer." He stood and started to clear the table with as much as he could carry when he paused again.

“You realize now we’re going to have to tell them they were right.”


End file.
